Gastight valve strip for a reclosable container

Abstract

A gastight valve strip for a reclosable container includes first and second film layers adapted to be disposed over an aperture through a sidewall of a reclosable container. The second film layer opposes the first and includes an attachment surface adapted to be sealed to the sidewall of the container. The attachment surface has a patterned portion that defines a region of flow channels. Opposing surfaces of the first and second film layers form a substantially gastight seal therebetween upon contact of the first and second film layers to each other. A first film layer aperture extends through the first film layer, and is in fluid communication with an exterior side of the valve strip. A second film layer aperture extends through the second film layer, is offset and spaced apart from the first film layer aperture, and is in fluid communication with the container aperture through the patterned portion.

We claim: 
     
       1. A gastight valve strip for a reclosable container, the reclosable container having a container aperture through a sidewall of the container, the valve strip comprising:
 (i) a first film layer having a periphery; 
 (ii) a second film layer opposing the first film layer and being attached to the first film layer, the first and second film layers adapted to be disposed over a container aperture through a sidewall of the reclosable container, the second film layer comprising an attachment surface being adapted to be sealed to the sidewall of the reclosable container, the attachment surface comprising a patterned portion that defines a region of flow channels, wherein opposing surfaces of the first and second film layers form a substantially gastight seal therebetween upon contact of the first and second film layers to each other; 
 (iii) a first film layer aperture extending through the first film layer, the first film layer aperture being in fluid communication with an exterior side of the valve strip; and 
 (iv) a second film layer aperture extending through the second film layer, the second film layer aperture being offset and spaced apart from the first film layer aperture, wherein the second film layer aperture is configured to be in fluid communication with the container aperture through the patterned portion of the attachment surface, the patterned portion extending along the attachment surface and into the second film layer aperture, 
 wherein at least a portion of a surface of the second film layer opposite to the attachment surface comprises a patterned portion to provide flow channels in fluid communication with the second film layer aperture, such that a vacuum pressure dispersed over the first film layer aperture and the flow channels separates the first film layer and the second film layer, to allow gas to exhaust from the reclosable container through the container aperture. 
 
     
     
       2. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment surface of the second film layer is adapted to be sealed to the sidewall by an adhesive. 
     
     
       3. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the second film layer is attached to the first film layer by an adhesive. 
     
     
       4. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the patterned portion of the attachment surface of the second film layer is embossed or textured to provide the fluid communication between the container aperture and the second film layer aperture when the valve strip is attached to the reclosable container. 
     
     
       5. The gastight valve strip of  claim 4 , wherein the patterned portion of the at least a portion of the surface of the second film layer opposite to the attachment surface is embossed or textured to provide the flow channels in fluid communication with the second film layer aperture. 
     
     
       6. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , further comprising a first thermal seal disposed around the periphery of the first film layer. 
     
     
       7. The gastight valve strip of  claim 6 , further comprising a second thermal seal between the first and second film layers, the second thermal seal surrounding a region that includes the first film layer aperture and the second film layer aperture. 
     
     
       8. The gastight valve strip of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second thermal seals are selected from the group consisting of a heat seal and a seal formed by ultrasonic vibration. 
     
     
       9. The gastight valve strip of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second thermal seals are continuous. 
     
     
       10. The gastight valve strip of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second thermal seals are intermittent spot seals comprising individual sealing spots. 
     
     
       11. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the reclosable container is selected from the group consisting of a reclosable pouch, a bowl, a bottle, a storage box, a canister, and a container body having an attachable lid or cover. 
     
     
       12. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second film layers is made of a flexible thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyolefin plastomer, polypropylene, HDPE, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       13. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the first film layer aperture and the second film layer aperture are each configured to be spaced apart and offset from the container aperture when the valve strip is attached to the reclosable container. 
     
     
       14. The gastight valve strip of  claim 1 , wherein the reclosable container is a reclosable pouch comprising (i) a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first and second sidewalls opposing one another, and (ii) complementary interlocking closure elements disposed on the respective first and second opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
       15. The gastight valve strip of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second film layers are sealed to an interior surface of the first sidewall. 
     
     
       16. The gastight valve strip of  claim 15 , wherein the second film layer is sealed to the first sidewall by a first sidewall seal disposed at least across a first edge of the second film layer. 
     
     
       17. The gastight valve strip of  claim 16 , wherein the first film layer is further attached to the second film layer by a thermal seal disposed at least across a first edge of the first film layer. 
     
     
       18. The gastight valve strip of  claim 17 , wherein the second film layer is further sealed to the first sidewall by a second sidewall seal disposed at least across a second edge of the second film layer.